LITTER TRAINING!!! pooping mad

[bugsyboo]

Hey guys, I’ve had our rabbit for 3 weeks. He came to us after a friend of a friend couldn’t look after him anymore. So i’m not to sure of his age but i’m we are thinking between 14-16 weeks old (partner cant remember what they said when he collected him). His a house rabbit and we have an ex-large cage for him. But the problem is i want him to have free range of the house with some exceptions. Unfortunately he hasn’t mastered the littered training yet. He seem to be weeing in the box 80% of the time. but insists on pooping everywhere in his cage! so his out side cage time is restricted just to a small room where i put the litter tray out, but yet again he poops everywhere. He seems to just be hopping/walking around constantly letting them drop out all over the place. Really need some suggestions. I do plan to have him neutered but not sure his old enough yet. Plus what litter should i use? At the moment I’ve just got a layer of news paper, sawdust and hay to eat while doing his business.

Another problem I’m having is every time his out of the cage and i sit with him he comes up and starts to chew my clothes!  How to i deter him from doing this or more to the point my furniture etc when i give him more space to roam? Sorry to ask so many questions, but i’m new to this bunny lark. His absolutely adorable, just want to stamp out these bad habits before they becomes a fixture. 

 Thanks x

[kinggoblin]

I’ve read to put a treat in the litter box, like a sprig of rosemary or some other herb he likes, and scooping his poos and putting them in the box. I use recycled newspaper pellets as my litter.

You can try spraying vinegar where he is chewing, it kept my bunny away from the area, until the smell wore off, then he was back at trying to rip the carpet up. Now he is only allowed in the kitchen because he would try to rip it up even when I was sitting right there watching him, hopefully he grows out of it because he is neutered but still young.

[bunnyfriend]

Don’t worry you’re not asking too much questions!

First off, what kind of litter box are you using? And what is on the floor of the cage or what type of flooring is it (if there is nothing on it)?

A good way to encourage rabbits to pee in the litter box is soaking up some of their urine that they peed outside of the litter box and put it in the box. Second, scoop up poops and put them in the litter box. Wipe down anywhere he has an accident with a vinegar and water solution. Training can sometimes be difficult until they are altered, but don’t give up! He could be marking his territory with the poos. Keeping up with cleaning up messes as quickly as possible is tiring but it really pays off. Personally, I use Yesterday’s News as a litter.

As for chewing your clothes, whenever he does, push him away gently and say “No.” not harshly, but in a firm tone. Or you can try clapping or squealing high pitched. It will take a few times, but eventually they get the hint. The best way to deter from chewing on furniture is to provide lots of safe chewing distractions, i.e. cardboard, untreated willow baskets, untreated timothy or sea grass mats, phonebooks, apple twigs, dried pinecones, untreated soft wood blocks, ect. When you see your bunny chewing on furniture, again say “No.” and try to redirect their attention. Vinegar or strong smelling perfume also helps sometimes.

[bugsyboo]

Thank you for your speedy replies. I’m using two litter box one is an actual cat litter box and the other is a washing up bowl. He does seem to wee in them but its poop. I’ve been soaking up and putting any stray droplets back in the litter tray straight away but to no effect. I’ve done so much research on it, and they all say its easy to train a rabbit but i’m not finding this easy at all. I mean he does poop in the tray but i think its a case of he just happens to be in there when he goes. because at the moment he just seem to be dropping poops all the time. I didn’t realise they pooped so much!! in the bottom of his cage i was putting a layer of news paper then sawdust. But the last few days I’ve just put newspaper (which he loves to just tear up) and bedding in his little house thing. Reason for this was, i was thinking if i put sawdust in his litter tray and cage he might think the whole of his cage is just one big litter tray lol. I think i’m just clutching at straws now. I’m just desperate to get him clean. What do u guys put at the bottom of your cages? how old does he need to be to get neutered? as i feel like this is my last hope of getting him to go in the box. if his pooping all round his cage should i still let him out? i read until they r clean in their cage then don’t let them out but this seems a bit horrible?

[kinggoblin]

The bottom of my rabbit’s cage is a carpet, he doesn’t go to the bathroom on it or chew it (why would he ruin his own carpet when he has mine? lol) I think mine was about 6 months when he got neutered. I kept mine in his cage for the first few days I had him so he could settle and I could figure out where he liked his litter box. I got really lucky and he litter trained in those few days.

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